De-thorning apparatus for removing thorns form the nopal cactus petals and the like

Abstract

A de-thorning instrument that can be manipulated to gouge thorny processes on cactus petals, such as those found on the nopal cactus, for preparation as a food staple. The de-thorning instrument can be provided as a pre-shaped cutting instrument or shapable cutting instrument that gouges only the swelled base of the thorny process on the cactus petal in a single sweep of the de-thorning instrument. The de-thorning instrument is an edged instrument having an edged body structure including at least one concave edged portion and an adjacent expanded body portion that effects simultaneous cutting and removal of the cactus thorns. A handle member is attached to the edged body structure for ease of manipulating the apparatus. The edged body structure is preferably a flat, substantially thin, flexible, edged body structure that facilitates being manually formed into a concave edged portion, including an expanded body portion adjacent the concave edge that facilitates the simultaneous removal of the cut thorn process. The concave edged portion and expanded body portion can be alternatively provided as a pre-formed, ready-to-use de-thorning instrument, such as a spoon-like de-thorning instrument, a sickle-shaped de-thorning instrument, or a closed-loop, open body de-thorning instrument.

I claim: 
     
       1. An edged apparatus for de-thorning a nopal cactus petal in preparation for use as a food staple, said apparatus comprising: a flexible edged body structure having at least one concave edged portion and an expanded body portion that, in combination, facilitate cutting and simultaneous removal of a nopal cactus thorn;   a handle member attached to said edged body structure for manipulating said edged body structure,   said edged body structure comprising flexible material that facilitates forming said at least one concave edged portion and said expanded body portion,   said handle member comprising a U-shaped structure having opposed flexible arms, each of said arms having attachment means at a distal end for attaching to respective ends of said flexible edged body structure,   said flexible edged body structure being detachably attached to said attachment means for coacting with said opposed flexible arms for forming said at least one concave edged portion and said expanded body portion; and   latching means for adjustably maintaining said opposed flexible arms and said edged body structure in a tensioned state, said latching means comprising a cross member mounted to a pivot pin on one of said flexible arms, said cross member having a plurality of adjustments engagable on a pin member disposed on another one of said flexible arms opposite said pivot pin for selecting a desired flexed tensioned setting of said flexible arms and a desired concave form on said edged body structure.   
     
     
       2. An edged apparatus for de-thorning a nopal cactus petal as recited in claim 1, wherein: said flexible edge body structure comprises a double edge flexible body structure sharing a common expanded body portion.   
     
     
       3. An edged apparatus for de-thorning a nopal cactus petal in preparation for use as a food staple, said apparatus comprising: an edged body structure having at least one concave edged portion and an expanded body portion that, in combination, facilitate cutting and simultaneous removal of a nopal cactus thorn;   a handle member attached to said edged body structure for manipulating said edged body structure, said handle member comprising an elongated U-shaped structure having opposed flexible arms; and   latching means for adjustably maintaining said opposed flexible arms and said edged body structure in a tensioned state, said latching means comprising a cross member mounted to a pivot pin on one of said flexible arms, said cross member having a plurality of adjustments engagable on a pin member disposed on another one of said flexible arms opposite said pivot pin for selecting a desired flexed tensioned setting of said flexible arms and a desired concave form on said edged body structure.   
     
     
       4. An edged apparatus for de-thorning a nopal cactus petal as recited in claim 3, wherein: said edged body structure comprises flexible material that facilitates forming said at least one concave edged portion and said expanded body portion;   said opposed flexible arms having attachment means at a distal end for attaching to respective ends of said flexible edged body structure;   said flexible edged body structure being detachably attached to said attachment means for coacting with said opposed flexible arms for forming said at least one concave edged portion and said expanded body portion.